Atheist Nexus2015-08-02T22:58:01ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlasshttp://api.ning.com:80/files/-ughp-tcovJZnCnqnT6BELQK0mUPEurd5-87n9OTn312srWaHt2ULZfK8pvoqJ76ngVpXcqsCnt8LJe9CCJTpb9*8LnbpFiT/1021631529.jpeg?xgip=0%3A94%3A337%3A337%3B%3B&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://atheistnexus.org/group/healthfitness/forum/topic/listForContributor?user=0ed0zzc9zky8d&feed=yes&xn_auth=noProbiotics in dairy worktag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-19:2182797:Topic:26297202015-07-19T15:27:40.649ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p>New research indicates that probiotics in a dairy medium work against gut inflammation, while dairy alone or probiotic supplements alone don't.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150717142439.htm" target="_blank">Dairy products boost effectiveness of probiotics</a></p>
<p>Horray for <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Authentic-Milk-Kefir/" target="_blank">milk kefir</a> and Greek yogurt!</p>
<p>Since it's so expensive, I thought about making my own…</p>
<p>New research indicates that probiotics in a dairy medium work against gut inflammation, while dairy alone or probiotic supplements alone don't.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150717142439.htm" target="_blank">Dairy products boost effectiveness of probiotics</a></p>
<p>Horray for <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Authentic-Milk-Kefir/" target="_blank">milk kefir</a> and Greek yogurt!</p>
<p>Since it's so expensive, I thought about making my own with <a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/milk-kefir-grains.html" target="_blank">milk Kefir grains.</a> It costs $18 to make your first quart. Presumably thereafter you can reculture. I don't need another chore, but homemade might work better than store bought.</p>
<p>Anybody have experience with this?</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.celestialroots.com/resources/kefir7.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="http://www.celestialroots.com/resources/kefir7.jpg?width=250" width="250"/></a><a href="http://www.celestialroots.com/kefir.php" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p></p>
<p></p> Safe plastic NOTtag:atheistnexus.org,2015-07-09:2182797:Topic:26218632015-07-09T21:11:14.842ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p>Turns out all phthalates give you high blood pressure, <a href="http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/2012/01/2012-0205-childhood-obesity-phthalates" target="_blank">obesity</a>, and insulin resistance. Argh!. I'd read years ago that Saran Wrap was safe to use for food storage. I just used it for storage and microwaving yesterday. Di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) are supposedly safer than di-2-ethylhexyphthalate (DEHP).…</p>
<p></p>
<p>Turns out all phthalates give you high blood pressure, <a href="http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/2012/01/2012-0205-childhood-obesity-phthalates" target="_blank">obesity</a>, and insulin resistance. Argh!. I'd read years ago that Saran Wrap was safe to use for food storage. I just used it for storage and microwaving yesterday. Di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) are supposedly safer than di-2-ethylhexyphthalate (DEHP).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.techtimes.com/articles/67419/20150709/safe-plastic-just-as-bad-as-older-consumer-plastics-says-epa.htm" target="_blank">'Safe' Plastic Just As Bad As Older Consumer Plastics Says Study</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://images.techtimes.com/data/images/full/107644/plastic.jpg?w=600"><img class="align-center" src="http://images.techtimes.com/data/images/full/107644/plastic.jpg?w=600&amp;width=350" width="350"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<blockquote><p>... growing number of studies pointing to chemicals as contributors to higher blood pressure levels, elevated insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders.</p>
<p>To limit phthalate exposure, food must not be covered with plastic wrap or microwaved in plastic containers. If plastic use cannot be altogether avoided, people can stick with plastic containers not labeled with the numbers 3, 6 and 7 (inside the symbol for recycling) as these indicate phthalate content.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The article suggests using waxed paper or aluminum foil for food storage. Aluminum has a high carbon footprint for single use. I've begun covering leftovers by inverting plates or smaller bowels over larger ones.</p>
<p>I should stop buying plastic wrap.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzeUKfIYAqY/U3Sxc2RW6oI/AAAAAAAAIGg/LnWC1VudI9A/s1600/food+and+plastic+don%27t+mix.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xzeUKfIYAqY/U3Sxc2RW6oI/AAAAAAAAIGg/LnWC1VudI9A/s1600/food+and+plastic+don%27t+mix.jpg"/></a><a href="http://glutenfreewithjudee.blogspot.com/2014/05/food-and-plastic-dont-mix.html" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p>Also I did know that washing plastics in the dishwasher makes them release more toxic compounds. [Also mentioned in the image source article above.] A study years ago found that rats in new plastic cages had no changes to their DNA. But after the cages were washed in a dishwasher the rats' DNA developed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA_adduct" target="_blank">adducts</a>. So I really shouldn't have washed those plastic travel mugs or food storage containers in the dishwasher.</p> Pesticides on produce.tag:atheistnexus.org,2015-04-04:2182797:Topic:25883542015-04-04T15:15:24.856ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p><span>“May 2015” Consumer Reports magazine said:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Should I skip conventionally grown produce? No.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>The risks of pesticides are real, but the myriad health benefits of fruits and vegetables are too. A 2012 study estimated that <b>increasing fruit and vegetable consumption could prevent 20,000 cancer cases annually</b>, and 10 cases of cancer per year could be attributed to consumption of pesticides from the additional…</span></p>
<p><span>“May 2015” Consumer Reports magazine said:</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Should I skip conventionally grown produce? No.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>The risks of pesticides are real, but the myriad health benefits of fruits and vegetables are too. A 2012 study estimated that <b>increasing fruit and vegetable consumption could prevent 20,000 cancer cases annually</b>, and 10 cases of cancer per year could be attributed to consumption of pesticides from the additional produce.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>Another study found that people who ate produce at least three times per day had a lower risk of stroke, hypertension, and death from cardiovascular disease.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>“We believe that organic is always the best first choice”, says Consumer Reports’ Rangan. “Not only does eating organic lower your personal exposure to pesticides, but choosing organics you support a sustainable agriculture system.” However, your primary goal is to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.-ideally five or more servings a day-even if it’s a type that falls into our very high-risk category.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span>If organc produce is too pricey or not available, our analysis shows that you often have a low-risk conventional option.</span></p> Beware kitchen towelstag:atheistnexus.org,2015-03-19:2182797:Topic:25831712015-03-19T19:08:56.825ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150318144502.htm" target="_blank">Towels top kitchen contamination hazards list</a></p>
<p>Guilty here! <a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OyDgsXHkaUL0rDGIk0xJ4mrFuyIOT*2qOi3k1og9n*Xayivm64yMUrqWj5aCbjDJb6B5emgbtv386dEOb7lXX-i3ZeEFi-Mr/blush_small.gif" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OyDgsXHkaUL0rDGIk0xJ4mrFuyIOT*2qOi3k1og9n*Xayivm64yMUrqWj5aCbjDJb6B5emgbtv386dEOb7lXX-i3ZeEFi-Mr/blush_small.gif" width="25"></img></a> I often used kitchen towels two or even three days. No more waiting until it <em>looks</em> dirty. That salmonella actually grows on your towel is…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150318144502.htm" target="_blank">Towels top kitchen contamination hazards list</a></p>
<p>Guilty here! <a target="_self" href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OyDgsXHkaUL0rDGIk0xJ4mrFuyIOT*2qOi3k1og9n*Xayivm64yMUrqWj5aCbjDJb6B5emgbtv386dEOb7lXX-i3ZeEFi-Mr/blush_small.gif"><img class="align-left" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/OyDgsXHkaUL0rDGIk0xJ4mrFuyIOT*2qOi3k1og9n*Xayivm64yMUrqWj5aCbjDJb6B5emgbtv386dEOb7lXX-i3ZeEFi-Mr/blush_small.gif" width="25"/></a> I often used kitchen towels two or even three days. No more waiting until it <em>looks</em> dirty. That salmonella actually grows on your towel is especially scary.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1859803/thumbs/o-DISH-TOWEL-HEALTH-570.jpg?1"><img class="align-center" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1859803/thumbs/o-DISH-TOWEL-HEALTH-570.jpg?1&amp;width=350" width="350"/></a><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/27/kitchen-health-dangers_n_5503382.html" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Consumers should wash towels daily</strong> to prevent growth and spread of food borne pathogens.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">"Towels were determined to be the most contaminated of all the contact surfaces tested."</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">... <strong>cloth towels can quickly and easily become contaminated at significant levels</strong>, including microorganisms that potentially can lead to foodborne illnesses.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Other researchers found that <strong>salmonella</strong>, bacteria commonly found in raw meat and poultry products, <strong>grows on cloths stored overnight</strong>, even after they were washed and rinsed in the sink.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">... cell phones and tablets ... add another potential source of contamination.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">If such devices will be used in the kitchen, Sneed recommends treating them as potential hazards and wiping the surfaces with a disinfectant solution frequently.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">... 90 percent of the fruit salads prepared alongside the meat dish were contaminated with the tracer organism,...</p>
<p>The study found that <strong>all participants</strong>, regardless of food safety message group prior to the meal preparation, <strong>made mistakes in the kitchen that could lead to foodborne illness</strong>.</p>
<p>In addition to high levels of contamination in their cloth towels, about 82 percent of participants also left meat-originating contamination on the sink faucet, refrigerator, oven and trash container.</p>
<p>... common mistakes that occur in the kitchen ... are often difficult to change.</p>
<p></p>
<p>1. Wash your hands; don't just splash and dash.</p>
<p>2. Wash your cloth towels.</p>
<p> Sneed recommends refraining from using the same cloth towel for every task in the kitchen. Instead, use a paper towel for drying hands or to wipe something off the counter.</p>
<p>3. Don't use sponges</p>
<p>4. Use a food thermometer.</p>
<p>5. Separate duties of commonly used items.</p>
<p> As food is stored and prepared, separate ready-to-eat foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, from raw meat and poultry. This includes separating tools or surfaces used in preparation, including items such as dish towels, cutting boards and other contact surfaces.</p>
<p>Sneed likes to separate her cutting boards by color by assigning a different color to those used with raw meats and those used with fresh fruits and vegetables. She also separates her cloth towels by usage, one for hand washing and the other for drying dishes.</p>
<p>6. Think like a microbiologist; sanitization is your new best friend.</p>
<p>... after every major meal do a final wipe down of the whole kitchen, which is something most people don't do."</p>
<p>[emphasis mine]</p>
</blockquote> High dose omega-3s improve heart after attacktag:atheistnexus.org,2015-03-05:2182797:Topic:25787582015-03-05T18:49:53.665ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150304190226.htm" target="_blank">Omega-3 fatty acids appear to protect damaged heart after heart attack</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Taking omega-3 fatty acids appeared to lower inflammation and guard against further declines in heart function among recent heart attack survivors already receiving optimal standard care,...</p>
<p>Patients in the study taking 4 grams of prescription-only omega-3 fatty acid capsules daily for six months after a…</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150304190226.htm" target="_blank">Omega-3 fatty acids appear to protect damaged heart after heart attack</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Taking omega-3 fatty acids appeared to lower inflammation and guard against further declines in heart function among recent heart attack survivors already receiving optimal standard care,...</p>
<p>Patients in the study taking 4 grams of prescription-only omega-3 fatty acid capsules daily for six months after a heart attack were significantly more likely to show improvements in heart function compared to patients taking a placebo. Heart function was measured by an expansion of the left ventricular end-systolic volume index. Patients taking omega-3 fatty acids also had significantly less evidence of fibrosis -- a thickening or scarring of the areas of the heart remote from the heart attack, which can develop when the surviving heart muscle works harder and under high pressure to compensate for the damage to the heart. The data suggests that patients who were able to mount a substantial change in levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood derived the most benefit.</p>
<p>"Giving a high dose of omega-3 fatty acids soon after a heart attack appears to improve cardiac structure and heart functioning above and beyond the standard of care,"...</p>
<p>... a 5 percent increase in the serum level of omega-3 fatty acids correlates with a 10 percent improvement in left ventricular remodeling, ...</p>
<p>"It's a very well-tolerated therapy," he said, adding that it is unlikely patients could get the amount of omega-3 fatty acids from diet alone. He said the daily 4 gram dose is roughly equivalent to someone eating a large, 8-ounce serving of salmon every day for six months.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Prescription-only omega-3s? I didn't understand why the patients couldn't just take 4 grams of over the counter omega 3 capsules. <a href="https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/Lovaza,+a+prescription+omega-3+fish+oil,+is+very+expensive.+Can+I+get+the+same+omega-3+oils+from+a+supplement+that+costs+less%3F/Lovazza_cost/" target="_blank">Here's one suggestion.</a></p> Obesogenic Pollutantstag:atheistnexus.org,2015-03-01:2182797:Topic:25773072015-03-01T21:47:39.107ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150227084315.htm" target="_blank">Level of pollutants accumulated in the body linked to obesity levels</a></p>
<p>Pollutants such as pesticides and PCBs make us fat by increasing the number of fat cells, and they make cholesterol and triglycerides worse.</p>
<blockquote><p>Scientists have confirmed that there is a relation between the levels of certain environmental pollutants that a person accumulates in his or her body and his or her…</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150227084315.htm" target="_blank">Level of pollutants accumulated in the body linked to obesity levels</a></p>
<p>Pollutants such as pesticides and PCBs make us fat by increasing the number of fat cells, and they make cholesterol and triglycerides worse.</p>
<blockquote><p>Scientists have confirmed that there is a relation between the levels of certain environmental pollutants that a person accumulates in his or her body and his or her level of obesity. Subjects with more pollutants in their bodies tend to have higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease.</p>
<p>This research has analysed the levels of pollutants accumulated in adipose tissue (fat) in nearly 300 men and women,...</p>
<p>The substances analysed, known as <strong>persistent organic pollutants (POPs)</strong>, can remain in the environment for years, even decades, without degrading.</p>
<p>"<strong>Humans are exposed to POPs mainly through diet.</strong> Besides, POPs accumulate gradually in body fat,...</p>
<p>... these scientists confirmed that the <strong>accumulated levels of several POPs were related to obesity and to serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in individuals, irrespective of the gender, age, place of residence or smoking habits</strong> of participants in the survey.</p>
<p>Those POPs subject to analysis include <strong>DDE, the main metabolite of pesticide DDT</strong>, widely used all over the world in the 1980s, and currently employed by some countries to combat malaria. They also included <strong>the insecticide lindane</strong>, frequently used in the past in agriculture and also in certain medicines for lice and scabies.</p>
<p>The survey also included a group of <strong>polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs</strong>,...</p>
<p>... there are no safe exposure levels for these pollutants, which can also interact among them to affect health,...</p>
<p>Previous studies have demonstrated that <strong>the general population is exposed to POPs mainly through</strong> food with a high fat content. This includes <strong>fish and meat from large animals with a high level of fat</strong>.</p>
<p>There is evidence that human exposure to certain chemical substances called "obesogenic" could <strong>favour the growth and proliferation of adipocytes (fat cells), and provoke therefore an increase in body fat</strong>. We suspect besides that certain environmental pollutants could <strong>also provoke alterations in cholesterol and triglycerides levels and therefore contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease</strong>," Arrebola concludes. [emphasis mine]</p>
</blockquote>
<p></p>
<p>Farmed fish tend to have more pesticides than wild caught.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/03/08/article-2576088-1254CE41000005DC-948_634x603.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/03/08/article-2576088-1254CE41000005DC-948_634x603.jpg?width=400" width="400"/></a></p>
<blockquote><p><font style="font-size: 1.2em;">...the production process involves dousing the fish, reared in cages moored in the sea, in chemicals to kill parasitic lice.</font></p>
<p id="ext-gen99"><font style="font-size: 1.2em;">They are also given a protein feed, created from small waste fish which can be contaminated with chemicals from the environment – including DDT and its by-products.</font></p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2576088/DDT-salmon-Pesticide-discovered-farmed-fish-sale-five-major-British-supermarkets.html" target="_blank">DDT found in salmon: Pesticide discovered in farmed fish on sale in five major British supermarkets</a></p>
<p></p>
<p></p> Emulsifiers in food cause IBS, insulin resistance and obesitytag:atheistnexus.org,2015-02-26:2182797:Topic:25758622015-02-26T04:34:04.299ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p>Polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulsose, two common emulsifiers used to improve processed foods texture and improve shelf life, are the new food villians. They alter gut microbiota, causing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and metabolic syndrome.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150225132105.htm" target="_blank">Widely used food additives promotes colitis, obesity and metabolic syndrome, shows study of emulsifiers</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Gut microbiota are…</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulsose, two common emulsifiers used to improve processed foods texture and improve shelf life, are the new food villians. They alter gut microbiota, causing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and metabolic syndrome.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150225132105.htm" target="_blank">Widely used food additives promotes colitis, obesity and metabolic syndrome, shows study of emulsifiers</a></p>
<blockquote><p>Gut microbiota are disturbed in IBD and metabolic syndrome.</p>
<p>The team fed mice <strong>two very commonly used emulsifiers, polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulsose</strong>, at doses seeking to model the broad consumption of the numerous <strong>emulsifiers</strong> that <strong>are incorporated into almost all processed foods</strong>. They observed that emulsifier consumption <strong>changed the species composition of the gut microbiota</strong> and did so in a manner that <strong>made it more pro-inflammatory</strong>. The altered microbiota had enhanced capacity to digest and infiltrate the dense mucus layer that lines the intestine, which is normally, largely devoid of bacteria. Alterations in bacterial species resulted in bacteria expressing more flagellin and lipopolysaccharide, which can activate pro-inflammatory gene expression by the immune system. [emphasis mine]</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://images.sciencedaily.com/2015/02/150225132105-large.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="http://images.sciencedaily.com/2015/02/150225132105-large.jpg?width=450" width="450"/></a>This photo shows bacteria that are present deeper in the mucus layer that lines the intestine and closer to the epithelium than they should be.</p>
<p>Such changes in bacteria <strong>triggered chronic colitis</strong> in mice genetically prone to this disorder, due to abnormal immune systems. In contrast, <strong>in mice with normal immune systems, emulsifiers induced low-grade or mild intestinal inflammation and metabolic syndrome, characterized by increased levels of food consumption, obesity, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance</strong>. [emphasis mine]</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So in addition to avoiding plasticizers and flame retardants, we have to check all of our food labels for emulsifiers with long names. &lt;face palm&gt;</p> Flame retardants cause obesitytag:atheistnexus.org,2015-02-19:2182797:Topic:25733342015-02-19T17:37:38.297ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p><strong>Flame retardants</strong> from electronics and household furnishings cause metabolic and liver problems, <strong>leading to insulin resistance and obesity</strong>. Based on breast milk samples, the US population has <strong><span class="font-size-3">two orders of magnitude</span></strong> higher burden of these chemicals than people in European countries that prohibit flame retardants.…</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Flame retardants</strong> from electronics and household furnishings cause metabolic and liver problems, <strong>leading to insulin resistance and obesity</strong>. Based on breast milk samples, the US population has <strong><span class="font-size-3">two orders of magnitude</span></strong> higher burden of these chemicals than people in European countries that prohibit flame retardants.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150219101343.htm" target="_blank">Flame retardants found to cause metabolic, liver problems, animal study shows</a></p>
<blockquote><p>"Being obese or overweight increases one's risk of many diseases including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and certain cancers,"...</p>
<p>... laboratory rats exposed to polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, experienced a disruption in their metabolism that resulted in the development of metabolic obesity and enlarged livers.</p>
<p>... fat cells isolated from rats dosed with ... flame retardants ... became more sensitive to epinephrine and less sensitive to insulin.</p>
<p>... one possibility is the suppression of a key metabolic enzyme -- phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, or PEPCK -- in the liver. Carey and her students found that the activity of PEPCK, which is responsible for sugar and fat metabolism, dropped by nearly 50 percent in livers of rats exposed to flame retardants for just one month, compared to controls.</p>
<p>... the ability to create the backbone for the fat molecule was suppressed by 42 percent in liver tissue from rats treated with flame retardants compared to controls.</p>
<p>... if the backbone isn't made, <strong>the fatty acids</strong> that usually attach to this backbone <strong>have nothing to attach to. Their levels can rise in the liver and the blood. And it is elevated fatty acids that can lead to insulin resistance</strong>,"...</p>
<p>In a previous study, Carey and a graduate student examined the amount of flame retardant chemicals in breast milk. They found that the <strong>levels of these chemicals in breast milk are about two orders of magnitude greater than in European countries that do not allow the use of flame retardant chemicals</strong>. [emphasis mine]</p>
<p></p>
</blockquote>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2015/2/science-flameretardant/img743492.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2015/2/science-flameretardant/img743492.jpg?width=450" width="450"/></a><a href="http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/update/2015/2/science-flameretardant/index.html" target="_blank">image source</a></p> Supplement Fraudtag:atheistnexus.org,2015-02-07:2182797:Topic:25648372015-02-07T20:36:46.311ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p><a href="http://www.alternet.org/corporate-accountability-and-workplace/massive-herbal-supplement-scam-uncovered-walmart-target-gnc" target="_blank">Massive Herbal-Supplement Scam Uncovered: Walmart, Target, GNC Accused of Selling Bogus Products</a></p>
<p>Trusted stores in New York State were selling fraudulent supplements. I've purchased supplements in several of these, thinking they were trustworthy. It's a widespread problem. In 2013 a Canadian study got similar…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternet.org/corporate-accountability-and-workplace/massive-herbal-supplement-scam-uncovered-walmart-target-gnc" target="_blank">Massive Herbal-Supplement Scam Uncovered: Walmart, Target, GNC Accused of Selling Bogus Products</a></p>
<p>Trusted stores in New York State were selling fraudulent supplements. I've purchased supplements in several of these, thinking they were trustworthy. It's a widespread problem. In 2013 a Canadian study got similar results.</p>
<blockquote><p>On Monday, New York State’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman instructed Target, GNC, Walgreens and Walmart to <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/ny-ag-takes-aim-popular-herbal-supplements-n299161" target="_blank">immediately cease selling</a> a number of scam herbal supplements. An investigation revealed that best-selling supplements not only didn’t work, but were potentially dangerous, with four out of five of the products not even listing any herbs in their ingredients. Instead, the supplements contained fillers including powdered rice, houseplants and asparagus. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/03/gnc-target-wal-mart-walgreens-accused-of-selling-fake-herbals/" target="_blank">Fraudulent products include</a> echinacea, ginseng, St. John’s wort, garlic, ginkgo biloba and saw palmetto.</p>
<p>In total, <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/ny-ag-takes-aim-popular-herbal-supplements-n299161" target="_blank">only 21 percent</a> of store brand herbal supplements contained the plants listed on the labels.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/science/herbal-supplements-are-often-not-what-they-seem.html?_r=2&amp;" target="_blank">Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem</a></p>
<blockquote><p>... DNA tests show that many pills labeled as healing herbs are little more than powdered rice and weeds.</p>
<p>... the study found that one product advertised as black cohosh — a North American plant and popular remedy for hot flashes and other <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/menopause/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Menopause." class="meta-classifier">menopause</a> symptoms — actually contained a related Asian plant, Actaea asiatica, that can be toxic to humans.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.medpagetoday.com/upload/2015/2/3/49855.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="http://www.medpagetoday.com/upload/2015/2/3/49855.jpg?width=450" width="450"/></a><a href="http://www.newslocker.com" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
</blockquote> Prevent Dementia with your diettag:atheistnexus.org,2015-02-03:2182797:Topic:25633472015-02-03T21:04:59.959ZNerdlasshttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/Nerdlass
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150203094144.htm" target="_blank">New study postulates the role of dietary advanced glycation end products in the risk of Alzheimer's disease</a></p>
<p><a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_5jyU7m5jII/0.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_5jyU7m5jII/0.jpg"></img></a> <a href="http://article.wn.com/view/2014/03/28/Marinating_meat_in_beer_before_putting_on_the_BBQ_can_halve_/" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p>That yummy golden brown meat makes us dumb. The Maillard…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150203094144.htm" target="_blank">New study postulates the role of dietary advanced glycation end products in the risk of Alzheimer's disease</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_5jyU7m5jII/0.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_5jyU7m5jII/0.jpg"/></a><a href="http://article.wn.com/view/2014/03/28/Marinating_meat_in_beer_before_putting_on_the_BBQ_can_halve_/" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p>That yummy golden brown meat makes us dumb. The Maillard reaction happens when protein is cooked at high temperatures. I always fry or roast golden brown, don't you? That <em>delicious</em> flavor comes from sugars bonding to proteins, which also makes them an avanced glycation end product (AGE).</p>
<p>Diabetics get AGEs from high blood sugar bonding to proteins in their bodies. The protein stops working. In my case, sugar keeps destroying my immunoglobins, impairing my immune function, making it hard to fight infection.</p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">AGEs from internal and dietary sources promote Alzheimer's and age us faster.</span></strong></p>
<blockquote><p><span class="font-size-2">We found that mice kept on a diet high in AGEs, similar to Western diet, had high levels of AGEs in their brains together with deposits of amyloid-β, a component of the plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, while at the same time developed declines in cognitive and motor abilities. The mice fed a low AGE diet remained free of these conditions. In addition, clinical studies have shown that subjects with higher blood AGE levels, in turn resulting from high AGE diets, are more likely to develop cognitive decline on follow up.</span></p>
<p>The findings point to an easily achievable goal that could reduce the risk of dementia through the consumption of non-AGE-rich foods, for example, foods that cooked or processed under lower heat levels and in the presence of more water, raising the importance of not just <em>what</em> we eat, but also <em>how we prepare</em> what we eat.</p>
<p>In typical national diets, we found that meat made the highest contribution of AGEs, followed by vegetable oils, cheese, and fish.</p>
<p>... the higher the cooking temperature, the higher the AGE content. For example, 100 grams of raw beef had 707 kU of AGEs, but 100 grams of roast beef had 6071 kU.</p>
<p></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here's <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3704564/table/T1/" target="_blank">a list of AGEs in common foods</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://image.slidesharecdn.com/foodbrowningbymaillardreaction-140925042850-phpapp01/95/food-browning-due-maillard-chemical-reaction-occurs-between-amino-acids-7-638.jpg?cb=1411643725"><img class="align-center" src="http://image.slidesharecdn.com/foodbrowningbymaillardreaction-140925042850-phpapp01/95/food-browning-due-maillard-chemical-reaction-occurs-between-amino-acids-7-638.jpg?cb=1411643725&amp;width=450" width="450"/></a><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/bejoybj/food-browning-due-maillard-chemical-reaction-occurs-between-amino-acids" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>I know I should poach, steam or boil meat for brain health. Can I give up golden brown chicken and fish? How hard will it be to eat fried food if I stop cooking when it's safe but not yet tasty? Maybe I can toast my low carb bread much lighter.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="https://perfectdailygrind.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/5222826966_52d5257401_z.jpg"><img class="align-center" src="https://perfectdailygrind.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/5222826966_52d5257401_z.jpg?width=450" width="450"/></a><a href="http://pixgood.com/maillard-reaction-coffee.html" target="_blank">image source</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">I have to keep this in mind when I cook:<a target="_blank" href="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/b1/8f/b18f01c9e4891f6b13c33c9b08ba18ac.jpg?itok=1zI0F7Wk"><img class="align-center" src="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/b1/8f/b18f01c9e4891f6b13c33c9b08ba18ac.jpg?itok=1zI0F7Wk"/></a><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/b1/8f/b18f01c9e4891f6b13c33c9b08ba18ac.jpg?itok=1zI0F7Wk">I have to think about this when cooking.</a><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/b1/8f/b18f01c9e4891f6b13c33c9b08ba18ac.jpg?itok=1zI0F7Wk"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/how-does-alzheimer-s-affect-the-brain" target="_blank">image source</a></p>